Crossing in Front of Stopped Vehicles

Question

Giles asked: When a bicyclist is traveling from one side of the roadway to another and comes up upon a roadway/driveway when vehicles are stopped waiting to make a turn into on coming traffic, is the bicyclist required to walk the bike across or are they allowed to ride in front of the stopped cars?

Answer

Lacking any traffic control devices and whether on the sidewalk or in the roadway, there is no requirement for a bicyclist to stop and dismount to cross another roadway.

(1)Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device, no person shall:

(a)Stop, stand, or park a vehicle:

On a sidewalk.

Within an intersection.

On a crosswalk.

Although there is no prohibition to riding in front of vehicles stopped in a crosswalk or sidewalk waiting to enter the intersection, extreme caution is recommended. Drivers are not necessarily expecting or looking for a bicyclist. That is particularly true if the cyclist is approaching from the right on a sidewalk, a paved shoulder or unlawfully riding against the required flow of traffic in the roadway.